Save the beloved University of Botswana

Mmegi Editor | Friday November 18, 2016 11:33

If nothing is done between now and March 2017, an obituary of the once mighty UB will be written shortly after that period.  This is a serious matter, as the university needs at least P1 billion as a matter of urgency to rescue the institution from the intensive care unit.

It has been reported in the media that there is mass exodus of lecturers at UB. The Faculty of Engineering and Technology (FET) is reportedly the hardest hit as lecturers are dumping the faculty for greener pastures. The UB has lost some lecturers not only from FET but also in other faculties too.

It seems the government does not care about the state of financial affairs at the UB. The 34-year-old institution, the nation’s foremost leading academic establishment is being killed off deliberately by the powers that be to bestow below par private learning institutions dominion.  It is not factual to say that students shun the UB in favour of the new private colleges.

Some of these private learning institutions offer deplorable service and should be sent packing.  The owners of these schools are only interested in making a quick buck out of the government of Botswana.  They do not care about the quality of the education they offer. Graduates from these schools are half-baked and cannot function in the workplace.

Our government has turned a blind eye to this sad state of affairs.  We believe given the situation some of the senior government employees might be enjoying kickbacks from the owners of these schools. If that is not the case, then why is the government channeling millions of pula to these fly-by-night institutions? Top government officials do not care about the quality of education at these private institutions because their children attend some of the finest, world class and Ivy League universities in the world.

We are reliably informed that some top government officials are sweetened with holidays in Asia and Europe in exchange of enrolling many students at these corrupt institutions. Because of some rotten tomatoes at the government enclave, our own university is rapidly going down into the abyss at a supersonic speed.  If the government does not act swiftly, the obituary of the UB will be published soon. We plead that no thebe should be spared in rescuing the beloved UB.

Today’s thought

“As an institution of knowledge, we want decisions to be informed not based on assumptions.” 

– Professor Thabo Fako